Disease Remission in Children and Adolescents with Intermediate Uveitis: A Survival Analysis

Abstract

Purpose: To report the incidence rate (IR) of remission in pediatric noninfectious intermediate uveitis (IU). Methods: Longitudinal retrospective cohort study, including 19 patients (32 eyes) between 1985 and 2014, followed-up until loss or January 2016. Remission was defined following the Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature workshop criteria, prolonged remission as a remission spanning 12 months and until the end of follow-up, and relapse as recurrence of inflammatory activity in an eye in remission. Results: Median follow-up time was 6.3 years. IRs (95% confidence interval) for remission, relapse, and prolonged remission were 18.6 (13.1–26.5), 32.3 (20.6–50.7), and 6.7 (3.8–11.9) episodes per 100 eye-years, respectively. 48% of eyes relapsed in the first year following remission. 25 and 50% of eyes achieved prolonged remission after 5 and 10 years of follow-up, respectively. Conclusions: Inflammatory relapses may be frequent in noninfectious IU affecting children and adolescents, appearing early after remission. Also, prolonged remission seems infrequent, being achieved late during follow-up.

Intermediate Uveitis

“…A populationbased study of 48 patients from one county in the United States reported 6/9 or better vision in 85% of patients and 63% of eyes [8]. Long-term follow up in a small case series reported that 25 and 50% of eyes achieved prolonged remission after 5 and 10 years of treatment, respectively [129].…”